4 olympics SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 2012 CHINA DAILY

Phelps goes out in style, rallying for 21st medal

By in London

Seventh at the turn, an Olympic champion at the end. Make it 17 gold medals for Michael Phelps. What a way to go out in the fi nal individual race of his career. With those long arms whipping through the water, Phelps was next-to-last when he touched the wall at the far end of the pool in the 100-meter butterfl y but in a familiar position when he made the touch that counted on Friday — his name atop the leaderboard, a smile on his face, another gold medal around his neck. “I’m just happy that the last one was a win,” Phelps said. “Th at’s all I really want- ed coming into the night.” He claimed his third gold of the London Games and 17th of his career, adding to an already absurd record total that should be twice as much as anyone else by the VICTORY PASSES CHINA BY time he swims the fi nal race PHOTO BY CUI MENG / CHINA DAILY of his career, the 4x100 med- ley relay on Saturday night. A Chinese player tries to pass during a women’s water polo Group A match on Friday. Th e US beat China 7-6. Th e Americans are huge favorites in a race they have never lost, and it’s unfath- omable to think the Phelps era could end with anything Turkey less than a performance that puts him atop the podium joy for , Cuba one last time. women In what might be viewed as a symbolic changing of the guard from America’s great- beat China By ASSOCIATED PRESS catch the other off balance. est swimming star to the next in London Th e match went into over- big thing, 17-year-old Missy 82-55 in time and judges eventually Franklin set a world record in France’s Teddy Riner won ruled Ortiz the winner. the 200 backstroke, her third the men’s over 100-kilogram Earlier in the day, Ortiz tri- gold in London, just minutes group clash Olympic judo gold medal on umphed over the top-seeded before Phelps took center Friday, giving him the only Tong Wen of China in the stage at the Olympic Aquatics By AGENCIES in London medal he was missing. semifinals. Tong was the Centre. Another American Riner, 23, defeated Russia’s defending Olympic champi- teen, 19-year-old Elizabeth Nevriye Yilmaz scored 16 Alexander Mikhaylin in an on and was unbeaten at inter- Beisel, claimed the 200 back points to help Turkey advance anti-climactic national competitions since bronze. to the quarterfinals of the final where he 2007. She later won a bronze “I can’t believe what just women’s Olympic basketball was mainly in the repechage. The other happened,” said Franklin, tournament with an 82-55 vic- on the attack. bronze medal was won by who had dedicated her tory over China on Friday. Mikhaylin Britain’s Karina Bryant. Olympics to victims of the Isil Alben nailed two made little effort to fight But the victories of Riner theater shooting not far 3-pointers and Turkey ended except to bat away Riner’s and Ortiz were perhaps over- from her Colorado home. the first quarter with a 12-0 attempts to grip his uniform shadowed by a first-round “In that last 25, I knew I was run to take a 26-13 lead. and was booed by the crowd fi ght this morning that last- giving it everything I had Turkey stretched its lead to for his inactivity. ed little over a minute. Th at because I couldn’t feel my 19 but then could not score for Riner dropped to his knees featured Saudi Arabia’s first arms and legs and I was just nearly seven minutes before aft er the victory before hug- female judoka Olympian, trying to get my hand to the Birsel Vardari hit a 3-pointer, ging Mikhaylin. Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim wall as fast I could.” but the Turks still led 39-27 at With a record five world Shahrkhani, a blue belt who Right after Phelps was halft ime. championship titles, Riner is has only been training for two done, 15-year-old Katie But China, which has judo’s biggest star. He won a years. Ledecky — the youngest already qualifi ed for the quar- bronze at Beijing. On Friday, Shahrkhani was thrown member of the US team terfinals, could not mount a Riner used both throwing and flat on her back after just — nearly broke the world serious second-half challenge grappling techniques to win 82 seconds by Puerto Rican record to win gold in the and fell to 3-1 in the tourna- his early fights with several fighter Melissa Mojica. She 800 freestyle, denying Brit- ment. match-ending ippon scores. appeared tentative on the ain’s Rebecca Adlington a American-born Quani- The bronze medals were mat, circling Mojica and repeat before her home fans. tra Hollingsworth added 10 won by Germany’s Andreas avoiding any direct attacks. Adlington settled for bronze points and 11 rebounds for Toelzer and Brazil’s Rafael Mojica fi nally grapped control in a race Ledecky dominated Turkey (3-1). Chen Nan had Silva. of Shahrkhani’s collar before from start to fi nish, falling 19 points for China. In the women’s division, tossing her backwards. off record pace only in the The loss dropped China to Idalys Ortiz of Cuba won the “I was nervous and afraid, last 15 meters. the third place in Group A, a women’s over 78-kilogram but proud,” Shahrkhani said But no one has dominated placing that might be their fi nal Olympic judo gold on Friday, of her fi ght aft erwards. “I am like Phelps, who increased position as their final group improving on the bronze she proud to be the first Saudi his career overall medal total rivals are the United States. won at the Beijing Games. woman and I’m very grateful to 21. Turkey will next face the Ortiz defeated Japan’s to the crowd who supported “He’s the king of the winless Croatia in the last Mika Sugimoto in a cagey, me,” she said. Shahrkhani said Olympics Games,” said his group game on Sunday. If they drawn-out final with little she intended to fi ght at the Rio PAUL SANCYA / ASSOCIATED PRESS butterfl y rival, Serbia’s Milo- finish second in the group, action, where both fi ghters Games next. “I will practice China’s Tong Wen and Poland’s Urszula Sadkowska grapple during the women’s over 78-kg judo rad Cavic. they might take on France or struggled to get a grip or more,” she vowed. competition on Friday. Tong won bronze in the event. Th is was about going out Russia, who will vie for the in style. fi rst placing in Group B. Phelps touched in 51.21 Australia defeated Russia sec to beat out the guy who 70-66 to stay in second place edged him in the 200 fly, and will possibly meet China Chad le Clos. The South in the knock-out stage. China’s Dong soars to men’s trampoline gold African touched in 51.44, China lost 90-56 to Austra- tying for silver with Russia’s lia in the Beijing 2008 Games By ASSOCIATED PRESS Dmitry Ushakov of Russia duced at the Sydney Games The sport has been domi- Jeff rey for the lone US spot, fi n- Evgeny Korotyshkin. Cavic and 91-68 again at the World in London was second. Defending Olym- in 2000. He pumped his fist nated by the Russians and the ished last in the 16-man fi eld tied for fourth in 51.81, not Championships in 2010. pic champion Lu Chunlong of as fans waving Chinese flags Chinese since its inception in aft er losing his line during his even close to Phelps in their “I didn’t look at the results Chinese trampolinist Dong China was third. chanted his name. the Games, and Dong put on a second routine. The 22-year- fi nal meeting. of the other group. I wanted Dong made three wishes on Dong dominated the event, “Th at is one of my dreams, to clinic. Going last in the fi nals, old from New Jersey only “I cannot be compared to to win today’s game. A vic- New Year’s Eve. posting the top overall score in win this medal, and I am very he soared through his routine, completed two of his 10 tricks Michael Phelps,” said Cavic, tory would put us in a favor- Go to London. Get the gold qualifying and beating Usha- happy,” Dong said. drawing “oohs” as he crisply before smacking into the pad. who also plans to retire aft er able position in the knock-out medal. Bring back kov by more than a point in Competitors have up to put together a dizzying series He vowed to make a run the London Games. “I’m a round and secure at least a the gold medal. the fi nals. a minute to warmup on the of fl ips and twists. at the 2016 Games in Rio de one-trick pony.” sixth-place fi nishing,” China’s Consider all “I was really looking forward tramp before attempting to “During the final, he was Janeiro. Dong might not be France won its fourth gold center Chen Nan said. three of them to this competition,” Dong said. complete 10 successive tricks, really stronger,” Ushakov said. around. at the pool, its best showing “But Turkey did a really checked off the list. “I don’t think it’s the result, but getting scores for difficulty, Other contenders weren’t so “The greatest moment has ever, as — good job in defense. They Th e 23-year-old Dong won one stage of life. Don’t judge a execution and air time. Ath- fortunate. Yuriy Nikitin, the gone, and I need to prepare younger brother of 2004 gold played a physical game. We’re the men’s Olympic title on Fri- person on winning or losing.” letes are about 30 feet in the air 2004 gold medalist, failed to myself for more challenges medalist Laure Manaudou — overwhelmed in the fi rst half day, posting a score of 62.990 to Perhaps, but Dong was pret- at the top of each jump. Imag- make the fi nals aft er crashing coming up,” he said. “No mat- shocked defending Olympic and never recovered.” easily give him a gold medal to ty fi red up aft er giving China ine leaping off a three-story during qualifying. ter if you win or lose, the most champion and world record go with the bronze he won in its second straight gold medal building 10 times in about 30 American Steve Gluckstein, important thing in life is to holder Cesar Cielo of Brazil XINHUA—ASSOCIATED PRESS Beijing four years ago. in the event, which was intro- seconds and you get the idea. who beat out younger brother enjoy what you have.” in the 50 freestyle.